Boston Public Radio

Charlie Sennott drops by to discuss ISIS' execution of a US Aid worker, gives us a G-20 debrief, and previews GroundTruth's investigative reporting on how…

Need a refresher course on world history? We've got you covered. Or rather, the folks of "The Folklorist"—a New England Emmy-winning history show on…

The sleepy town of Westminster, Massachusetts made waves this week when it proposed a ban on the sale of tobacco products, including cigarettes. That got…

Kelly Beatty, of Sky and Telescope joins us to marvel at the European Space Agency, and their space craft, Rosetta's ten year journey to land on a comet.…

Gas prices are finally under three dollars. Are you rejoicing or concerned?Brian McGrory chats about Baker's new cabinet, what makes a Globe headline, and…

John King discusses the fate of Obamacare, and whether Jeb Bush might run for President. We also check in with him about whether the midterms hurt…

Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd weighs in on the members of the GOP aligning with former President Trump on impeachment, and talks about frustration with what he describes as “fact-deserts” throughout much of the U.S. He also discusses the challenge for President Biden in negotiating with Republican leadership to pass his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. Next, we open lines to talk with listeners about your experiences using state government resources to schedule COVID-19 vaccinations. Former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral discusses her concerns with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green’s history of supporting QAnon and other dangerous conspiracy theories. She also talks about Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys extremist group who was revealed by Reuters to be a former government informant, and weighs in on a recent flurry of anti-protest bills from GOP congressional leaders. GBH Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen recaps his hours-long experience trying to get his father a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. He also discusses the reopening of museums and movie theaters in Boston, reviews the new Claude Monet exhibit at the MFA, and talked about the ongoing light show at the Hatch Shell. Mass. A.G. Maura Healey returns for our monthly edition of “Ask the A.G.” She speaks about the abrupt resignation of Boston Police Commissioner William Gross, the complicated rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in Mass., as well as the status of her office's ongoing investigation into a road rage incident concerning Suffolk County D.A. Rachael Rollins. As always, Healey also responds to questions and comments from listeners.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Former Mass. education secretary Paul Reville discusses the CDC’s latest statement reassuring schools that they can operate safely in-person, and frustration from the Mass. educators about their standing in the state's vaccine rollout plan. Next, we turned to listeners, hearing your thoughts on whether the state ought to prioritize vaccinating teachers ahead of school reopening in Mass. M.I.T. economist Jonathan Gruber breaks down President Biden's plan to expand the child tax credit, and explained the significance of making those credits fully refundable. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem talks about the state of the forthcoming Senate impeachment trial of President Trump. She also discusses how President Biden is preparing FEMA to take preemptive action against natural disasters brought by climate change. Medical ethicist Art Caplan weighs in on President Biden’s handling of the pandemic during his first week in office, and talks about the need for countries to anticipate snags in vaccine manufacturing and distribution. He also touches on the slow rollout of vaccines in Mass., and concerns he has with the 22,000 fans attending this year's Super Bowl. Then, we return to callers for the ongoing conversation about teacher vaccinations and in-person learning. Sy Montgomery returns for our monthly edition of "Afternoon Zoo." Among other animal stories, she talks about the bizarre and slow-paced mating rituals of the Shipworm, the majesty of mosquito birth, and the thieving monkeys of Bali.

On Wednesday’s Boston Public Radio, former Mass. education secretary Paul Reville offered his thoughts on contention between the Mass. Teacher’s Association and Gov. Charlie Baker, after teachers were slotted down in the state’s COVID-19 vaccine priority list. On Monday, state officials announced they’d be prioritizing residents 65 and older, and bumping educators to second priority in phase two of the vaccine rollout. Despite the delay, Gov. Baker is continuing to pressure schools to bring students and teachers back for in-person learning. "Grocery workers could say the same thing,” Reville said in response to frustrations expressed by MTA representatives. "Postal workers could say the same thing, or people that work in pharmacies – everybody feels that way.” Also on Monday, a report from officials at the Centers for Disease Control was released, indicating that schools with proper safety precautions are a low-risk for COVID-19 transmission. Reville said there are "lots of tradeoffs,” but added that he fully supports bringing back certain groups of at-risk students. "I think it’s time to move back with children who are most disadvantaged, and in the youngest age groups,” he said, “where we know transmissibility is low, and the vulnerability is low, and the symptoms tends to be more mild.” Paul Reville is the former Mass. secretary of education and a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he also heads the Education Redesign Lab. His latest book, co-authored with Elaine Weiss, is: "Broader, Bolder, Better: How Schools and communities help Students Overcome the Disadvantages of Poverty.”

Today on Boston Public Radio: We start Tuesday's show by opening lines, getting your reactions to the bumpy rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in Mass. NBC Sports Boston reporter and anchor Trenni Kusnierek weighs in on quarterback Tom Brady’s Sunday win with the Buccaneers, and what it means about the role Patriots coach Bill Belichick played in his team’s success over the past two decades. She also reflected on the death of baseball legend Hank Aaron, and discussed sexual harassment allegations made against New York Jets GM Jared Porter. FRONTLINE filmmaker Michael Kirk talks about his latest FRONTLINE documentary, “Trump’s American Carnage,” about the chaos of President Trump’s four years in power, beginning with his ban on Muslims entering the U.S., and culminating with January’s attack on the Capitol. Dr. David Fajgenbaum talks about his experience battling a rare condition known as Castleman disease, and how it ended up providing insights into treating COVID-19. Dr. Fajgenbaum is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Associate Director of the Patient Impact for the Penn Orphan Disease Center. TV expert Bob Thompson talks about the future of late-night T.V. post-Trump. He also speaks on the performance of inaugural poet Amanda Gorman at last week's inauguration, and reviews Netflix's "The Forty-Year-Old Version," "White Tiger," and "Lockdown" on Amazon Prime. CNN’s John King discusses the future of the filibuster in the U.S. Senate, and how he's expecting Congress to handle President Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. He also touches on President Trump's legacy with the Republican party, and news that his former press secretary, Sarah Huckabee-Sanders, is running for governor of Ark. We close out Tuesday's show by opening lines to listeners, hearing your thoughts on movies and television centered around the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Washington Post opinion columnist EJ Dionne discusses the litany of challenges facing President Biden, and why he believes he ought to prioritize urgency over unity. He also talks about his expectations for the future of the filibuster. Victim’s rights attorney Kenneth Feinberg discusses the open question of whether a federal victim’s compensation fund ought to be instated in response to the pandemic. We then open lines to listeners, to hear your thoughts on whether a COVID-19 victim compensation fund is necessary. Daniel Lieberman, a professor in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, talks about his new book, “Exercised,” about the evolution of humans and our aversion to exercising. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of GBH’s All Rev’d Up, talk about the need for civil rights leaders to maintain pressure on the Biden administration on issues of racial equity, and weigh in on critiques of Biden from conservative faith leaders in the Catholic Church. Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung speak on her reporting about struggling Boston restaurants, and renewed focus from city and state leaders in prioritizing small businesses for grants and loans. She also talks about the challenges facing Mayor Marty Walsh as U.S. Labor Secretary. We close out Monday’s show by opening lines, talking with listeners about your experiences trying to stay in shape in quarantine.